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Say cheese: your cheese board favourites, explained

Who doesn’t love a good cheese board? With a variety of cheeses on display sitting among delicious fruit, olives, quince paste, crackers and cold meats, grazing platters are always a welcome guest at functions or Friday drinks. However, if you’re like anything like me and get confused by exactly what you’re eating, this cheese board cheat sheet will come in handy.

Here are your cheese board favourites explained.

Camembert

Camembert is a French cheese, shaped like a small wheel with a white outer layer and super soft, gooey cheese on the inside. It's delicious! Camembert can have a deep, earthy flavour, so try different varieties to find your favourite.

Brie

Brie looks very much like camembert, as it's also wheel-shaped, similarly creamy, soft and rich in flavour. What may help you identify it is the slightly grey tinge it sometimes has. Brie also has cream added to it, which camembert doesnt, giving it an even creamier consistency and milder flavour.

Blue cheese

Blue vein cheese is easy to spot among the various cheeses, because it’s quite literally spotted with vein-like blue mould. Blue cheese is ripened from the cultures of mould penicillium, but don’t be turned off by all the mould talk – blue cheese is a safe and delicious cheese to try.

Cheddar

Good old cheddar! I’m sure you’ll be able to spot the classic favourite from a mile away. A harder cheese compared to brie or camembert, cheddar is usually an off-white to yellow cheese that holds a solid colour.

Quince paste

If cheese platters and grazing boards are new to you, then you may not have heard of quince paste. It's made from the pulp of quince fruit and can sometimes resemble jelly. You’ll notice it from its contrasting brown and maroon colouring, compared to the white and yellow cheese. Add a swipe of quince to your cracker, along with your chosen cheese, for a slightly sweet and tangy combination.

Now you know the what's what of cheeses... enjoy your next round of grazing!